Rescued sea turtle flies south

Earlier today, a patient of the National Aquarium’s Marine Animal Rescue Program received a very special plane ride to Florida aboard the private plane of Aquarium board members, Mary and Harold Graul. The green sea turtle was flown to the Marine Science Center, bidding the cold temperatures of the Northeast goodbye.

The sea turtle came to the Aquarium in the fall after being rescued off the Maryland coast where it was found cold stunned. After a few months of rehabilitation by the Aquarium’s vets and MARP team, the animal was approved to be released back into its natural habitat. Unfortunately, the waters at this time of year are too cold for the turtle, so its return to sea had to be postponed. To make room for new patients to the National Aquarium, the Marine Science Center agreed to keep the turtle until the water reaches warmer temperatures.

In a few months the Aquarium’s MARP team will travel down to Florida with a satellite tracking tag and release the turtle back into the ocean. Click here to see how other animals have been tracked over the years!